More snow and rambling thoughts

In a message dated 1/27/03 5:48:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, llmen@wi.rr.com 
writes:


> I can't speak for Pat, but yes, I'd take the -10F, which is only 
> about 6 degrees colder than we had the other night, if only to get 
> that protecting blanket of snow.  Besides, I can still remember the 
> -20's we had in the late 70's and early 80's.  That was cold.
> 
> Of course, it's a sure sign of aging when you start  talking about 
> how bad the weather was when you were younger!

Perhaps it is.  A sign of aging that is.  Probably it is.  However, the 
reality of  three months of precipitation and cold weather, below 20 degrees 
now for around 7 or 8 weeks is downright depressing.  Around zero in the 
nights most of the time.  Remember we had a major snowstorm on Christmas Day 
here making it a no family day for most.  A ray of sunshine comes through now 
and then but lasts only a few hours and the precip is back.  We should have 
one heckuva a runoff this spring.  The skies opened around the first of 
November and haven't stopped.  If a rainy spring is mentioned, I think I will 
immigrate.  We had a very wet fall as well as all this snow.  The children 
who enjoy the snow are limited to a short time outdoors as it is too cold for 
sledding.  

I can't work up any sympathy for the snowless as we all have aching backs, 
new shovels, sacks of snowmelt, ice (the ice under the snow is lethal), no 
newspapers half the time, frozen pipes, and occasionally power cuts.  We may 
be getting soft, I'll allow that.   The last easy winters were not regretted 
by me. There are no snowblowers to buy should you think it a good idea to 
acquire one.  Last year all the stores had lots of them on sale in late 
winter.  People here do not shovel sidewalks so pedestrians walk in the 
streets.  Nobody is very cheerful about it.

On a happier note, I have cuttings rooted, some slow starting seeds coming 
along and a bunch of blooming plants shivering in the plantspace.  A yellow 
Clivia, the second year with it, is blooming it's expensive self along with 
Veltheimias, Hippeastrums, botanic tulips, some early daffodils (in pots, all 
in pots), Cyclamen, dwarf Pelargoniums, Abutilons, some unnamed orchids, 
Ornithogalum dubium, and other stuff from the bulb world.  The sun has 
trouble getting through when it does appear as the glass on the roof is 
covered with snow most of the time.   I wonder if you are in a warmer place, 
do you deal with winter indoor planting?  These are all perennial somewhere.  
Today a Plumbago auriculata showed some buds forming, it sure has courage.

A more perennial comment is that of our local MG Spring Garden Day held in 
March.  It is an all day affair with classes and a speaker, usually an 
author.   The subjects are those asked for by surveying local gardeners.  
Here is some of what is wanted: pruning, keeping a garden journal, garlic, 
pesky critters, three variations on perennials (perennials the most popular 
subject), wildflowers and for reasons unknown to me ginseng.  Also asked for 
were home greenhouses and indoor plants.  All are included.

The keynote speaker is Sally Cunningham who wrote a book on Garden 
Companions.  The idea is fruit, vegetables and flowers all grown together in 
an organized jumble.  How this differs from the cottage garden model is not 
clear to me but it seems to be having another go around just now.  An author 
named Rosalind Creasey wrote several books on this subject around ten years 
ago so it must appear every decade.  One of the Creasey books is huge and 
includes recipes, a good winter book.  The idea is that if you have a perfect 
place for some sort of veg and some perennials plus the strawberries, they 
can share the space and be beautiful at the same time.  It should be a great 
success, this event, as in early March we will still have tons of snow.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4 




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